


Operation Scorpion

by dulcia_somnia



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Amnesia, F/M, Swanfire - Freeform, sfsecretvalentine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-02-16
Updated: 2014-02-16
Packaged: 2018-01-12 17:58:31
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,602
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1194348
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dulcia_somnia/pseuds/dulcia_somnia
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Response to swanfire secret valentine prompt by i-sudoku on tumblr: Neal has no memory of Emma, Henry and his past life. It's up to Emma, Henry and Gold to help him remember. But please make it humorous. I have enough of angst in canon.</p><p>I am known as the-beauty-in-breakdown on tumblr.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Operation Scorpion

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: No, really. I’m not two geeky men and I don’t own Once Upon a Time.
> 
> I wrote this for swanfire secret valentine. I apologize for the lateness. This is for you i-sudoku! Happy valentine’s day/single’s awareness day! Hope I did it justice. Here’s her prompt:
> 
> Neal has no memory of Emma, Henry and his past life. It's up to Emma, Henry and Gold to help him remember. But please make it humorous. I have enough of angst in canon.
> 
> I changed up the plot of Second Star to the Right a bit – Neal didn't fall through the portal but he was shot by Tamara. Emma and Neal were able to avoid falling through the portal, but a pipe broke and fell on Neal’s head.

Operation Scorpion

The tension in the room was high. The dysfunctional family of sorts was gathered together to find out the news about Henry’s father. 

“He’s recovering nicely from the chest wound. He should be able to leave tomorrow, but the head injury has unfortunately resulted in amnesia. Neal only remembers his name. Neal Cassidy, that is, not Baelfire. He is just a normal man in this world,” Dr. Whale explained.

Emma was pissed. Once again, she was swept up in all sorts of messes. She returned home only to face Cora and find out that her ex was Gold’s son and abandoned her so she would finally find her family. And of course he had to have an evil fiancée set out to destroy all the magic in the world.

Now he doesn’t know anything about their time together.

“Do you think it’s reversible?” Mary Margaret asked, pulling Emma out of her thoughts.

“It should be. But it will take some effort. You have to ease him into his life. Slowly make him understand who he is. It’s probably best to get him to understand his life as Neal. In most cases, amnesia patients recollect all of their memories once they understand their basic identity.”

Emma played with her necklace. She didn’t know if she could pretend to not remember their past. How could she be with Neal when he doesn’t know what he did to her?

* * *

Neal was fast asleep, snoring slightly. Emma imagined him resting in the back of the yellow bug, the hood of his sweatshirt serving as a pillow. It felt like she was going back in time, before their lives crossed and everything changed.

Gold leaned against the wall, his eyes betraying his anger at the world. He surely must have gotten tired of memory loss, with sweet Belle turning into racy Lacey.

“I suppose I ought to get used to calling him Neal now, eh?” Gold questioned aloud in a slightly sing-song voice.  
Henry slowly crept up to the edge of Neal’s hospital bed. He gazed at his father for a minute before taking a deep breath and turning to his mother and grandfather. His eyes twinkled with a new idea when he suggested, “I think I have a plan to get Neal back,” he smiled, “Operation Scorpion.”

Emma grinned at her kid. “Scorpion, kid? I don’t know how that fits Neal losing his memory.”

Henry rolled his eyes, “Well Operation Fish doesn’t sound as cool, does it? Besides, when we succeed, Neal will get all his memories back instantaneously, like a scorpion’s attacking its prey.”

Gold’s mouth twitched. “And what is this brilliant plan of yours?”

“We hang out with him and give him the stuff we know he likes. Like mom and I could take him to Granny’s, you know, and eat pumpkin pie. And Mr. Gold,” Henry continued, “you could get him to do the stuff he liked as a kid.”

Emma remembered the story she told Henry a year ago. Henry yearned for any details he could find about his father and she fed him lies. His dad liking pumpkin pie was true, however. Neal always got nutty whenever Emma was able to snag one.

A nurse walked into the room, holding a Ziploc bag marked for Neal. “Good morning. Dr. Whale told me to give Mr. Cassidy’s belongings to you,” she said, handing the bag to Emma.

Emma’s stomach flipped when she saw the swan pendant she fashioned into a necklace. She flashed back to her time in Phoenix, when she received the keys to the bug, and tearing the necklace off in Manhattan. He kept it all this time.

* * *

Neal woke up from a deep slumber to three faces looking down at him. He frowned and slowly sat up, shocked at the slight ache in his chest.

A man with medium length greying hair smiled down him, trying to hold back tears. A blonde woman watched him anxiously, with her arm wrapped around a grinning boy’s shoulders.

Neal was more confused than ever.

“What’s going on?”

The older man grasped his arm and said, “B—I mean---Neal, we are some friends of yours.”

“My name’s Henry. This is my mom, Emma and that’s Mr. Gold,” Henry explained.

“Uh…hi. So…um…the doctor told me what happened. You know if I’m set to go?” Neal asked. He was starting to feel uncomfortable. They looked at him like they were waiting for him to explode or something. He didn’t like the idea of them knowing who he was when he had no clue about anything.

Emma swallowed and replied, “Yeah. You’re all set. You live at Granny’s Bed and Breakfast.”

“Cool,” Neal said, getting up to be led to his home. He tried not to think up any questions about this town or himself. All he wanted to do was drink something and sleep for an eternity.

* * *

The Charming family was up early the next day, ready to protect their small town. Mary Margaret and David quickly ate breakfast before setting out to find out the whereabouts of Tamara and Greg. Gold put up a magic shield on Storybrooke, preventing anymore intruders who want to destroy it.

Emma’s parents insisted on dealing with the town’s safety by themselves, as she is the only one in town who knows Neal Cassidy. So she and Henry planned on meeting Neal at Granny’s for lunch to get him to understand his identity. Henry had figured out what they would eat and talk about, eager to start Operation Scorpion.

They took a booth in the mostly empty diner. Emma wore her red leather jacket over a grey tank top, scratching at a worn-out sleeve. Henry’s appetite seemed insatiable these days, she thought, as he ordered a burger and a side of fries before Neal arrived.

The bell rang as Neal stepped through. He took in the small, homey diner and singled out the mom and son. He sat down and greeted them. “Nice place. How’s the pie?” Neal asked, to Henry’s delight.

“It’s fantastic. I love the cherry pie, but I’m feeling pumpkin today. How about you?” Henry quipped, a sly grin playing on his face.

“Sounds great. I love pumpkin pie. Feels like home.” Neal responded. He blinked. Of all the things to remember, he remembered that he likes pumpkin pie.

Neal looked over the menu before Ruby took his order of a BLT, no mayo. The day seemed better now that he was starting to feel more comfortable in his body. Favorite pies and sandwich orders will do that to a person.

Emma ordered her comfort food: a grilled cheese and tomato soup. Henry ordered three slices of pie for each of them.

“So…you’re my friends. How did I meet you?” Neal asked.

“We met through work. I’m the sheriff in Storybrooke and you’re my deputy,” Emma answered calmly. 

She was a master of half-truths. Now she just has to make sure that Neal is sold that he is the deputy.  
“But I live in a bed and breakfast…” Neal trailed off.

“You just moved here. You have a past of working in law enforcement and I thought you could use a job, so I hired you.” Emma lied. She absentmindedly rubbed the shoelace on her wrist, thinking of her first week in town and Graham’s generosity.

The bell rang through the diner once more, and the mayor walked inside. Emma raised her eyebrows and Henry jumped up to give his adoptive mother a hug.

“Henry,” Regina smiled warmly, “it’s good to see you. I’ve missed you.”

Neal turned his head to Regina and Henry and looked back at Emma. “Who’s she?”

“She’s…She’s Henry’s mom,” Emma replied. 

Neal raised his eyebrows, “You’re—“

“Oh god! No,” Emma clarified, “She’s his adoptive mother. I moved here a while back when Henry ran away to find me, his birth mother.”

Neal grinned, his chocolate brown eyes betraying the playfulness that Emma fell for so long ago. “So you’re single.” Emma nodded slightly as her cheeks reddened. “Good. Then I still have a shot.”

Emma looked back at Regina and Henry at the counter, at Granny giving Regina a harsh look, at the door she wanted to storm out through, anywhere but Neal. He’s already had a shot. And now he wants another. No…Neal Cassidy, the lone thief, wants a shot. This wasn’t the Neal she ran into two weeks ago.

Regina ordered a coffee to go and sat down at their booth. She gave Neal her manipulative/charming smile, concealing her surely deep hatred for Henry’s father and Rumplestlitskin’s son.

She shook Neal’s hand, “I’m Regina Mills, Henry’s mother and the mayor of Storybrooke. I heard about what happened. I’m sure my son and Ms. Swan are getting you well acquainted to your lifestyle?”

Neal gave her a half-smile, “It seems to be helping. Wow, I…uh…apparently just moved here and I already know the mayor.”

Regina smiled wider, looking over at Emma, as Ruby arrived at their booth with the food and Regina’s coffee. “The family all together…,” Ruby commented, grinning at Emma before returning to her work.

“Well, I suppose I better get going. Henry…you wouldn’t want to spend the day with me would you. Emma could get Neal to get used to the town?” Regina suggested. Henry’s eyes brightened. Two birds with one stone he thought, observing Neal’s looks at his mom. 

Emma was panicking on the inside. As much as she needed Henry to stay, she knew Neal would ask questions about their situation if she was against Henry spending time with his other mother. He finished his pie and Regina and Henry bid goodbye to the couple.

“So you share Henry with her?” Neal asked before biting into his scrumptious BLT.

“Yeah…” Emma focused on devouring her comfort food.

“It might help my memory if you showed me the town a bit. The diner can’t be the only hotspot around here, can it?” Neal inquired.

“It’s a pretty small town, but it has some charming places,” Emma answered, berating herself inside for mentioning her dad’s nickname.

Neal leaned back, “Maine…I wouldn’t want to end the day without at least visiting the beach.”

Emma’s face grew warm as she swallowed a big bite. Tallahassee. “Oh…uh…I would go, but I have some work to take care of. Maybe sometime later Henry and I could show you around town.”

Neal nodded in understanding. He started his pumpkin pie, and savored every comforting bite. He felt completely at home, a feeling he desired ever since he woke up in the hospital.

Emma grinned, “You were always a messy eater.” She immediately wanted to take back her words, hoping he was too busy eating to notice what she said.

Neal finished the pie and wiped his mouth. He put a hand in his pocket and it came out empty.

“It’s fine. I’ll pay,” Emma pulled out the mess stuffed into her bag and picked out a rumpled twenty to pay for their meal.

Neal noticed a silver pendant sticking out and picked it up. “A swan, huh? It’s beautiful,” he looked up at the blonde, “and fitting don’t you think, Ms. Swan?”

As Emma hastily packed up her stuff, Neal started to feel like he was remembering his life. Home, the idea of home at least, felt out of reach. He’s been a stranger in this town for a bit now and not belonging seemed pretty normal. Only the blushing woman in front of him felt like a clear, constant memory.

* * *

“Hi D—Neal! I was hoping you could help me pick out a gift for my mom, Regina. Her birthday’s coming up.”

Neal stuck the phone between his ear and shoulder as he rummaged through the dresser for a shirt.

“Henry, I wanna help but considering what’s happened, don’t you think Emma or someone would be able to pick out something?”

“You can totally help me out. Besides, I’m going to Mr. Gold’s pawnshop. There’s a lot of cool stuff there. Maybe something will trigger your memory. We could also do something fun later,” Henry said.

Neal threw on the shirt and ran a hand through his hair. “Alright Henry. It couldn’t hurt. I’ll be there at 10.”

Neal entered the dim-lit shop right on time. He waved at Mr. Gold, who entered the main room through the back door, followed by a striking woman dressed in a red miniskirt, a black leather jacket, and bright purple pumps.

Gold’s eyes widened at the sight of his son. “What brings you here, Neal?”

The woman leaned against a glass counter, frowning at Gold’s obvious discomfort.

“Henry wanted to pick out gift for Regina. He insisted that I help him,” Neal looked around at the knick-knacks covering the shelves. He didn’t know Regina for long, but she didn’t seem like the person who would be interested in anything from the pawnshop.

“Lacey, I’d like to speak to Neal alone for a little,” Gold said to the woman. She gave a sigh and retreated through the back without a word.

“Who’s she?” Neal asked, walking over to some strange looking puppets.

“She’s…uh…a friend,” Gold said awkwardly. He wished Belle was back. He wished Neal didn’t visit him at such an inconvenient time. His boy wasn’t too keen on him before, and now he probably thinks he’s a dirty old man.

Neal tried to ignore Gold’s words. Something was off about the man when Neal first met him, and his “friendship” with Lacey raised even more red flags.

Henry walked in, ending the awkward moment between the two men.

He greeted them and said to Gold, “I’m looking for a present for mom. I want something special. 

Something you’d find in a fantasy or fairytale. Mom loves fairytales, especially Snow White,” Henry said, turning to Neal.

“I’m sure she’ll love whatever you pick out. There is a lot of things in here that are related to fairytales. 

Like this oil lamp,” Gold directed them to the lamp and pointed out other items, like a mickey mouse telephone and glass slippers.

Neal wiped some dust off a crystal ball. Magic…fairytales…why does that feel familiar?

Henry picked up a blue wand from a stand as Gold watched his son walk around the shop that he worked in for years.

Neal picked up an old looking glass with an intricate frame. His dark eyes stared back at him. His face was not so strange now. He looked down at the counter and saw a worn out shawl. It was simple and looked to have browned with age and use. He picked it up just as the bell rang through the shop, announcing an arrival.

Memories flooded through his mind. He was a young boy living in poverty, ready to fight. He was older and lonely, avoiding his monstrous father who looked like Mr. Gold. He saw Gold again, with curly hair and mad eyes, loosening his grip before green light concealed him. Neal saw Wendy, Neverland, boys with empty eyes, and Peter Pan’s devilish smirk. He saw Emma with glasses and red lipstick, a little yellow bug, and stolen moments in motels. He was alone once more and filled with regret until his past caught up with him just when he started to move on. He saw his son, Henry and Storybrooke. He relived Tamara shooting him and blacking out as Emma fussed over his wound.

Neal turned around, smiling widely, as Emma Swan walked into the shop.


End file.
